LITTLE ROCK  Former University of Central Arkansas President Allen Meadors pleaded guilty through his attorney Monday to a misdemeanor charge tied to a mishandled offer from a food contractor to renovate the UCA president's home.

Defense attorney Tim Dudley entered the guilty plea to a Freedom of Information Act violation on behalf of Meadors, who lives in North Carolina and did not appear in court.

Meadors was charged in 2011 with one count of solicitation of tampering with a public record, a Class A misdemeanor, after an investigation into Aramark's offer to provide $700,000 for renovating the university-owned home in exchange for a contract extension. The deal was initially described as a gift with no mention of the contract stipulation.

Prosecutors alleged Meadors at one point tried to persuade a UCA official to destroy a letter from the vendor that detailed the deal, including the contract extension.

As part of the plea deal, the charge was reduced to the FOI violation, which is a Class C misdemeanor. Faulkner County Circuit Judge Charles Clawson ordered Meadors to pay a $250 fine. There was no jail time ordered.

I hope that this very slight penalty for Mr. Meadows is remembered by the people when others at UCA, students and/or officials, are charged and sentenced for crimes against the school. A Class C Misdemeanor carries a max jail time of 30 days and/or a fine of $250.00.

Guy, in suit and tie, steals $700,k gets charged with misdemeanor and small fine.Guy moves out of state get new six figure job and still gets to voteKid, from down the street, steals $70.00 get 5-10 years room/board at taxpayers expence.Kid gets out, can't get hired with record and repeats same behavior..loses voting rightsWe pick and choose even which criminal behavior to accept and whom we will accept it from.......sadsadsad